At the start of a discussion about digital citizenship with my 8th grade students, I asked them to work in groups to create a list of guidelines for online behavior. After just a few minutes, each group had a list of at least five, and were ready to share with the rest of the class. Here is a list of their top responses (in no particular order):
1. Don't put up inappropriate pics
2. Only friend people you know in real life
3. Only say what you would say to someone's face
4. No cyberbullying
5. No profanity
6. Don't give out personal info (address, phone #, where you are)
7. Ask permission before posting a pic of someone else
8. Use privacy settings
9. Don't tell lies or spread rumors
10. No illegal downloading
I was impressed; their lists indicated that they had a clear concept of digital citizenship. They have thought about how their online behavior impacts their own safety, the feelings of other people, and the perceptions people might have of them. Their lists also confirmed what I already suspected: the focus of their online world is social networking.
Does this mean they follow their guidelines all the time? Of course not. These are teenagers. They don't always think through potential consequences before they act, either online or in real life. But they have received the message that their online behavior is important, and that they need to be careful about what they're putting out there.
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